Donna Karan autumn/winter 2011 at New York Fashion Week

At Donna Karan the clothes were soft, sensual, sophisticated and very, rich.

BY Hilary Alexander |
15 February 2011

Models walk the finale of the Donna Karan show Photo: REUTERS

At one point in Donna Karan's show, I was reminded of a futuristic Joan Crawford or Tallulah Bankhead, teleported into the 21st century. The clothes were the ultimate in uptown, big city glamour, totally designed with the "limousine lifestyle" in mind.

Take pale shades of smoke-grey, powder-blush, parchment, and celadon, draped and cleaving to the body in finest silk jersey and stretch; add ropes of pearls (by Erickson Beamon) at the throat, suede gloves gauntleted in shearling, a film of matching chiffon working as a cowl, a hood or a floating scarf, a shearling stole tossed over a shoulder, silk-rib tights in barely-there hues, and fine-heeled pastel snakeskin and satin shoes: everything whispered: "I am rich, I am woman."